Iceland's Whale Hunt Resumes

Published: August 18, 2003

REYKJAVIK, Iceland, Aug. 17—
Three ships commissioned by Iceland's government left port today to begin a hunt for 38 minke whales over the next six weeks, despite the protests of conservationists and several governments.

Iceland says the hunt is intended for scientific research, although Britain and the United States have labeled it unnecessary. The ships taking part in the hunt, the Sigurbjorg, the Njordur and the Halldor Sigurdsson, had been scheduled to set out on Friday, but were delayed by bad weather.

It is the first whale hunt by Iceland in 14 years.

Iceland has declined to give information about the ship's routes and has sought to prevent photographs of the hunt, ordering captains not to fire harpoons if other vessels are near.

Conservationists have said they want to draw the world's attention to the hunt.

Iceland state radio reported that the Sigurbjorg set out just before 1 a.m. The Njordur left harbor about 3:30 p.m., trailed by a ship carrying Gill Sanders, a representative from the International Fund for Animal Welfare. Ms. Sanders planned to monitor the first kill.

''It's going to be the most distressing thing of my life,'' she said. ''But that's why I'm here, and we need to know exactly what's going on.''

The hunt is expected to last into September. The government says the hunt is needed to study the stomach contents of the mammals to measure their effect on fish stocks such as cod, which are vital to the national economy.

The International Whaling Commission banned commercial whaling in 1986 to protect whales, which are endangered, but approved restricted hauls for research programs. Iceland conducted research whaling for three years after the ban, catching fin and sei whales, before halting the hunts altogether in 1989.

Animal welfare groups fear that the hunt is intended to gauge international reaction before a resumption of commercial whaling. Whale meat not used by scientists for research will be sold to consumers in Iceland.

The Marine Research Institute in Iceland estimates there are 43,000 minke whales in Icelandic waters.

Japan also hunts whales for what it says are research purposes and has said it is looking for ways to resume commercial hunting. Norway has ignored the ban since 1993.